RK Nagar Nominations over, campaign heats up

Intense campaign is on as battle lines have been drawn for the by-election to the RK Nagar Assembly seat, slated for December 21.

On Monday, the last date for filing nominations, the election office in north Chennai saw much drama. Independent candidates demonstrated against being kept waiting while political party candidates jumped the line to file nominations.

With today being the first death anniversary of former CM Jayalalithaa, whose death has caused the by-poll, leaders are expected to hit campaign trail after paying tributes at her memorial.

Meanwhile, the Delhi high court on Monday dismissed ousted AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran’s plea to let him to use the ‘hat’ symbol for the R.K Nagar bypolls to be held on 21 December.

“There can be no interim relief at this stage…Returning officer has the jurisdiction”, said justice Indrameet Kaur while directing the Returning Officer decide independently, without being affected by any previous observation made by the Election Commission.

The RK Nagar byelection was necessitated by Jayalalithaa’s death in December last year. Though it was initially scheduled on 12 April this year, the by-poll was rescinded by the Election Commission following widespread allegations of bribery.